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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22476082">to be redeemed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/THESEUSED/pseuds/THESEUSED'>THESEUSED</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cassandra's Revenge was a doozy, It kinda hurt to write, not my best work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:22:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22476082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/THESEUSED/pseuds/THESEUSED</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra's fallen too far. </p><p>And we all wait for the time she finally stays down.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>to be redeemed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She's fallen too far. </p><p>But she'll pick herself back up, hauling herself onto that platform of black rocks she created with a simple strain of her hand. She sits on her legs and bows her head, breathing in and out and she sneers again; at her own reflection of her own creation, defeated and more than angry. Cassandra coughs and splutters, she could taste the iron of blood in the back of her throat but she swallows dryly, lifting her head and narrowing her eyes at the light. </p><p>Not death, of course, Cassandra was far too stubborn to accept death. She stands and stares as the Enchanted Girl - Zhan Tiri - takes solid form from that cocoon of light, speaking her triumph but Cassandra doesn't listen; she's weak, she'd go after Rapunzel if she could, but she was tired and staggering; wanting to fall to her knees again and clutch the stone in hope she can rid of the crack. It doesn't hurt, she feels nothing, perhaps the inner workings of rage numbing any inner pain but she remains unhurt; filled with rage and exhaustion; she wishes Rapunzel perished from the first strike. </p><p>And she wishes, she doesn't take it back. Not yet. </p><p>She's fallen too far. </p><p>Cassandra averts her gaze, and she can tell the girl is offended by the moonstone's lack of surprise. The former handmaiden reaches up to graze the moonstone and she cringes at the lack of smoothness, it's rough and cracked, it feels worn and tainted by war; Cassandra had not been the first to take it, certainly. Blue hair dirty and covered in dust, she runs her injured hand through it with a frustrated sigh; an easy sigh, as if defeat was routine, simple as a torn cloth she can stitch back together. </p><p>“Do you not need me?” The girl interrupts her thoughts with mock offense. </p><p>“I never needed you.” Replies Cassandra, and it's a lie, she herself believes it's truthful. She only listened to the truth of the Enchanted Girl’s words and made decisions based on it, she clung to the truth of all her words. There was no proof to that, but Cassandra was desperate (though not that she'd admit) and alone she'd not have done what she did. She's following orders, why can't she realize?</p><p>The former handmaiden’s fingers tap against the opal to match the beat of her heart, and she thinks, if this crack in the stone signals that her destiny was meant just to bring her to doom. A power trip to defeat, just another gloat for Rapunzel, another door that leads Rapunzel to winning. Cassandra growls, clenching her teeth and she wants to squeeze the opal till it breaks out of anger, but she puts her hands back to her sides and looks back at the girl dressed in dark. </p><p>She wants to ask if the girl was going to follow her around again, but refrains. </p><p>At least, hopefully, the incantations did a number on Rapunzel and her friends; Cassandra will drink that satisfaction and find another way to steer her to her dismay. She now orders the black rocks to make a way down from this broken tower, seeing no interest in rebuilding it as she makes her way to the ground, the ancient entity was following her as quietly as done before. </p><p>Cassandra thinks if she was given the scroll nicely, she would've left Corona in peace, as well as Rapunzel and her company. The Enchanted Girl, or demon now, looks otherwise; it had been a plan of this creature for the incarnations to be used against each other, using the sun to see the sun, and engulfed in darkness all you will see is dark. She looks at her right hand and flexes it, aching and burnt, it's getting easier to ignore but it's there. A constant reminder. She should've ended her. </p><p>Yet comes. Does she really want to? Her hand cramps and she clenches it into a fist. All this fury directed at Rapunzel, but she wasn't sure if the Princess was truly the source of her problems. Cassandra now has what she wants, but she was still nerved, thirsty for the revenge she's already gotten. Such a thought only annoys her further, a beautifully crafted loop she can't escape from. She feels bad, she knows what she's done and it's not something she can't take back. </p><p>She knows Rapunzel would forgive her, but Cassandra doesn't forgive herself. She wouldn't, really, and without anger she wants to hide and never return from her lonesome. She'll ask for forgiveness and both hope it's not given, she's indifferent again and she wants to crumble and let the wave of hurt and hatred and fear pass.</p><p>“Satisfied?” It tries making conversation. </p><p>“Nearly.” Cassandra lies, she's a little lost. “I’ve decided to keep traveling, a stronghold isn't the best idea, it seems to attract stray princesses.”</p><p>She forces the anger back up, it's easy, but now she doesn't want it. </p><p>“That was the plan.” The girl argues, sounding irritated. “Do you not notice my solidity?”</p><p>Cassandra is tired, truth now be told she was losing sleep, and years probably. She makes her way to where she kept her stolen stallion, giving thought to her company’s words though she didn't care much, she unties the horse from its place and spares a glance at the demon before she focuses back on the rope. Zhan Tiri was the least of her worries despite the many warnings, this was about her, not the demon encouraging her. Her destiny, not Zhan Tiri’s. Cassandra scowls, something tells her she was being used. </p><p>“Your makeover isn't going to stop me from my destiny, or my goal. Whatever that is.” She looks away bitterly, narrowing her eyes at the dense forest in front of her. “I have what I wanted, I'm going to leave Rapunzel to lick her own wounds. As satisfying as ending her would be, I don't need blood on my hands when I have enough in me.”</p><p>She feels the girl roll her eyes, and she wants to snap at the ancient child. </p><p>“You've fallen far.” </p><p>“Too, right?” Cassandra bothers.</p>
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